Yielding grate for cotton openers



(No Modl.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

' 0 L. HARGREAVES.

I YIELDING G'RATE- FOB, COTTON OPENERS. N0. 379,065;

Patented Mar. 6, 1888.

u. PETERS. PholuLilhunmpbcr, Wmhmg'm n20 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAYOOOK HARGREAVES, AOGRINGTON, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

YIELDING GRATE FOR COTTON-OPENERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,065, dated March 6, 1888. Application filed June 13, 1887. Serial No. 241,185. (No model.) Patented in England August 25, 1884, No. 11,590.

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LAYOOOK HARGREAVES, a subject of Her Majesty the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Accrington, in the county of Lancaster, England, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Yielding Grates for Cotton Openers, (for which I have obtained a patent in Great Britain, No. 11,590, bearing date August 25, 1884,) of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in the construction of the grate of cotton openers or seutchers; and it consists in employing a pivoted counterbalanced grate which will yield to allow of any balled cotton or other obstruction passing over the same, afterward returning to its original position, whereby the breakage and fracture of the parts customary to the fixed grates are avoided.

To clearly explain the nature of my invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is an elevation of part of the framework of a cotton opener or scutcher, showing the improved grate and air-partition, some of the parts being in section; and Fig. 2 is a plan of the grate and counter-weights, the frame being represented in section.

A is the frame of the grate, which is pivoted at a, at one end, in the sides of the machine,while the other end rests upon the bent arms of levers B, pivoted in the sides of the machine and having adjustable counterweights b, as shown. The upper part of the frame of the grate carries the grate-bars c, which are of the ordinary construction. The lower portion of the grate is formed of a se ries of bars, d, of approximately a triangular section, the round axes of which enable them to turn in the sides of the grate. Beneath these bars, and close to one of the sides of the grate, is a rack, D, in which are slots fithrough which pass screws 9 g, by which it may be set or held.

On the outside of the frame of the machine is secured a plate, E, having a curved slot, h, therein, on the under side of which plate, at the point i, is pivoted a lever, F, the finger m of which engages with a recess in the rack, as shown, said lever being capable of being set and held in any desired position by means of the set-screw o. I

A partition, H, underneath the grate, and

extending down to the air-passage I, serves to screen the upper grate-bars, c, from the current of air which passes through the lower bars, (1, and prevents the seed or dirt falling from the bars 0 from being carried up again.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The cotton is passed over the ordinary plates or arms, M, a series of which are pivoted on the shaft N, and advanced by the motion of the feed-roller L to the beater-arm K, which is revolved at a high speed. The cotton be ing held tightly between the arm M and roller L, the beater'arm K strikes it with great force, loosening and disengaging it from much of its seed, dirt, and grit, which fall upon the wedge-shaped bars 0 and through them behind the. partition H to the floor, where they are removed through a suitable opening. The cleaned cotton falls over the bars 0 onto the lower ones, d, where it is caught and carried off by the current of air directed up from the passage I beneath by the partition H, said current being produced by exhaust or otherwise. When it is desired to regulate this aircurrent, the set-screws 0 and g g are loosened and the handle F is moved, and through its finger m operates the rack D, the recesses in which engage and operate the bars d, the setscrews'o and g 9 being again tightened when the bars have been adjusted as desired. The grate A, being pivoted at a and resting on the bent arm'of the lever B,will yield if any hard substance such as balled cotton should strike it, thus preventing breakage of the bars.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination, the grate A, pivotally supported at one end, and a yielding support for the other end, substantially as described.

2. In combination, the movable grate A and a yielding support therefor, substantially as described.

3. In combination, the movable grate, the pivoted arms B, and the adjustable weight carried by said arms, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LAYOOOK HARGREAVES. Witnesses:

SAMUEL TWEEDALE, WALTER BRIERLEY. 

